Music fans across the world are paying tribute to John Lennon on the 39th anniversary of his death. Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono posted a statement saying: “The death of a loved one is a hollowing experience. After 39 years, Sean, Julian and I still miss him”, she wrote. Ono, who formed a Plastic Ono Band together with Lennon, also called for legal reforms on possession of firearms. She posted a photo with a caption that read: “1.400.000 people have been killed by guns in the USA since John Lennon was shot on 8 December, 1980".
Music fans, meanwhile, inundated social media platforms with messages about Lennon, praising his skills and touting him as the most creative musician.
Lennon was one of the most creative, productive, industrious recording artists in history. Despite all the drugs, this genius wrote & recorded songs, produced, authored books, drew & painted, made films, was politically engaged & much more.
— MusicMentor (@Music__Mentor) December 8, 2019
An astonishing life
Peace in Rest, John pic.twitter.com/qPu6sCIgDU
A monumental genius extraordinnaire, who became much more than a pop music icon, and was the leader of an entire generation. A hero who will be remembered by history.
— John Salyer (@jasalyerjr) December 8, 2019
Lennon’s criticism of the US war in Vietnam almost got him deported from the United States and his songs about peace were adopted as anthems of the anti-war movement. People online lauded Lennon for his peace activism, saying the world would have been a different place if he had been alive.
John Lennon spread messages of peace✌️through his music and activism...all the things going on in the world we need to share Johns messages about more ✌️ and love understanding and acceptance throughout our world☮️ pic.twitter.com/NZcgLOaBBr
— Jenny (@Jenny79217656) December 8, 2019
RIP John Winston Lennon, murdered 39 years ago today in what was the JFK moment for my generation. An advocate of love and peace, I wonder what he’d make of the world we live in today.
— Paul_Gamble (@Euro6times) December 8, 2019
Many people shared the experience of how they learned about Lennon’s death and how it greatly affected them.
I will never get over his loss. I visited the Imagine Peace exhibit at the Museum of Liverpool in Sept and as I approached the door and heard Imagine playing I burst into tears. How do you explain it? We love him. When I saw the wall of notes to him I could not control my tears. pic.twitter.com/sDO0VzGQUi
— coreen steinbach (@coreensteinbach) December 8, 2019
My mother came to see me the day after he died. I was crying so much that she said.."you act as if someone in the family died." That's exactly how I felt. He meant so much to so many of us. I still miss him and his music to this day and I always will. ❤️
— Rachel Case (@rachelcc4) December 8, 2019
The Beatles and Lennon are said to have influenced most of the popular and successful bands and musicians playing in various genres, ranging from rock to electronic music. Many music fans spoke about how Lennon’s songs had influenced their art and inspired them to get into music.
Maybe my biggest musical influence. Coming from the north of England as well, John was always someone to look up 2 & inspire 2 be more like. Fearless. Honest. Real. I like to think he'd have come home & got another good little rock n roll band together. A pioneer. Missed. SB x
— Stuart Brayson (@StuartJBrayson) December 8, 2019
John Lennon Is The Reason I Got Into Music. I Never Read Music. I Just Learnt Listening To Beatles.
— george ginis (@georgeginis) December 8, 2019
It Was Tuesday Afternoon Dec 9th 1980 In Australia When My Then Neighbour Told Me Something Had Happened To John Lennon. I Didn't Want to Believe It . I Had Just Bought His LP. G
John Lennon was killed on 8 December 1980 by Mark Chapman, a fan who had stalked him for months. He shot the singer four times in the back as Lennon was returning home from a recording session with his wife. The musician was rushed into hospital, but numerous attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Mark Chapman, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, is still serving his sentence. Last year he was denied parole for the 10th time.
We miss you John pic.twitter.com/j35j84nnL4
— Scott Mitchell (@modcyclingphoto) December 8, 2019
